Amber Care Center
Having a cancer diagnosis has a devastating effect on both the patient and their loved ones. We therefore support anyone affected by cancer through this difficult time by providing information, evidence-based advice, help in accessing the best care and understanding their diagnosis, treatment and prognosis as well as providing psychological support. Our patient support is based upon 4 sets of principles:
- Awareness and prevention. As with any ailment it is important to be aware of the possibility of cancer and try and prevent it. This is especially important for individuals in high-risk groups.
- Early detection. In spite of all the advances being made in understanding and treating cancer, the best chance is in early detection.
- Specialist care. Cancer is a complex disease! It should best be treated, therefore, by experienced (ideally, research-active) clinicians working at a specialist (e.g. teaching) hospital. In some cases, it is possible, in fact essential also adopt ‘complementary’ therapies.
- Psychological support. The cancer experience is often tough both upon the patient and his/her carers. It is important, therefore, to give psychological support to all those concerned who may need it.
Patient Testimonials
Here is a kind of testimonial that we frequently receive from patients.
“I was diagnosed with bile duct cancer late November 2008, I had not been particularly unwell and this was a total shock.
I had surgery to remove the tumour on 23rd December 2008 and then commenced six months of chemotherapy in the February of 2009.
I returned to work and to my normal life in the March of 2009 and concentrated on recovering physically and on the outside I looked to be the same person as I was before the diagnosis but on the inside I had changed.
Bile duct cancer is a rare form of cancer and the long term prognosis is not good only 5% of those diagnosed live beyond 5 years from diagnosis.
Since diagnosis I struggled with the emotional issues and sank into depression, I tried to find help but discovered that it isn’t that easy to find help.
At the beginning of this year the depression really took hold and I was signed off sick from work.
I knew that I desperately needed to find a way of dealing with the issues regarding my cancer as I was no longer living just existing.
My partner found the Pro Cancer Research Fund specifically the amber Day Centre on the internet, from my initial phone call I felt relief and hope, relief that I had finally found someone who understood and hope that there might finally be a light at the end of the tunnel.
I attend the centre on a weekly basis and see Simge a trained physiologist, she has helped to give me the tools to start living again, I used to use a line from a Robbie Williams record “I don’t want to die but I ain’t keen on living either” to describe how having cancer and the uncertainty of my future made me feel now I am keen on living and the sessions I have at the centre have contributed greatly to this.
I enjoy my weekly session, all the staff is extremely friendly and I look forward to attending, I still have a lot of work to do but I am on the right track.
Cancer is still so associated with dying but the Amber Day Centre helps people like myself live with cancer.
I still do not hold what the future holds but now I control the effect the cancer has on my life rather than the cancer controlling my life.”
Collette Prior
Bile Duct Cancer Patient